This includes working in collaboration with Mitchell, Moira and Strathbogie Shire councils to advocate for infrastructure upgrades to achieve eight VLocity services with a journey time of two hours and 10 minutes.
Council welcomes the Federal Government commitment of $10 million and the State Government commitment of $43.5 million in the 2017/18 budget towards improved passenger rail to develop and improve the Shepparton rail line, including some infrastructure upgrades, such as the new passing loop and overnight stabling. This provides an important step towards enabling VLocity trains on the Shepparton to Melbourne rail corridor. However, at present there is no budget allocated for additional works required to actually run VLocity trains or achieve adequate journey times, such as level crossing, track and signalling upgrades.
At the meeting, Council considered and endorsed a study into the infrastructure investments required to bring Shepparton’s passenger rail corridor to a reasonable level of service that is comparable to other regional cities.
An upgrade of the Shepparton line from Seymour to Shepparton will allow for better facilities, quicker travel times and more frequent services. While the State Government has identified the Shepparton line as a long haul destination, it is a comparable distance from Melbourne as other regional Victorian cities. As such, Council believes that it should be identified as an intercity/commuter service to a growth centre like Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, etc.
Current services to make the 182km journey from Melbourne to Shepparton take between 2.20 and 2.50 hours. The Melbourne to Bendigo service of 163km can be as quick as 1.46 hours and receives over five times the number of services that the Shepparton line receives.
Council will continue to lobby for more service and infrastructure improvements to see the eight return VLocity services by 2020 that Shepparton desperately needs.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Cr Dinny Adem said recent studies into the economic benefits of improved passenger rail services highlight Shepparton’s growing importance as a regional city, offering improved access to medical and education services and employment opportunities.
“We welcome the current funding commitments, which achieve the initial steps towards bringing Shepparton’s passenger rail services up to a level that is on par with other regional cities,” said Cr Adem,
“We look forward to working with Mitchell, Moira and Strathbogie Shire councils to advocate for all infrastructure needed to realise full VLocity operation by 2020.”
